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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Assessment professionals try to understand how your child thinks,
reasons, and processes information. A formal evaluation should give you a
clearer understanding of your child. An evaluation should also offer strategies
for addressing your child’s needs. A good evaluation creates a road map about
what to anticipate as your son or daughter gets older and expectations increase
at school and elsewhere.

Assessment or testing are other terms for evaluations. In an
assessment, the evaluator works with a student using paper and pencil tasks and
other activities to figure out your child’s skill levels in different areas. The
evaluator’s observations of a child’s behavior and problem solving style also
provide information about individual difficulties and strengths.

The larger goal of the assessment process is to provide a big
picture view of your child’s vulnerabilities—and resources. This information
helps guide your decisions about education, behavior, and other
areas.

Neuropsychological Assessments

Neuropsychological evaluation is the most time-consuming and
comprehensive of the assessment options. A neuropsychological assessment will
provide a snapshot of your child’s functioning and developmental profile
today.

This evaluation describes your child’s strengths and weaknesses as
a thinker and learner. It tells you how your child’s skill levels compare to his
peers.

Neuropsychologists are specialized psychologists with a doctoral
degree in psychology or a related field. You may see Ph.D., Ed.D., or Psy.D.
listed after their names. They usually have done a postdoctoral fellowship in
clinical neuropsychology after getting their doctoral degree.

What do neuropsychologists do? They try to understand how a child’s
underlying temperament interacts with life and school experience. These
experiences shape a young person’s learning style, personality, and overall
functioning.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

written by Bec Oakley from Snagglebox.com

Many parents wait with bated breath for their
child to say 'I love you'. It’s one of those moments that we’re promised in the
Happy Family brochure, so we all hop on the parenting train with those three
little words as one of the destinations.

But you know what?

Not hearing 'I love you' is not a tragedy.

Some autistic kids find saying 'I love you' difficult, and this often
causes a lot consternation amongst their parents. Why won’t they say it? When
will they say it? WHAT IF THEY NEVER SAY IT?

Well, let’s take a look at why and maybe the rest will work itself
out.

How do you feel?

We don’t come pre-packaged with labels for our emotions. As a kid all you
know is that you get a hot noisy feeling when something pisses you off, for
example. It’s only when someone says ‘you look angry’ or ‘don’t get mad at me’
that you start to understand what that feeling is, to give it a name so you can
recognize it when you feel it or notice it in other people.

Monday, March 25, 2013

This is something I hear a lot in my work as a behavior specialist when a student starts to get agitated– answering rudely, refusing to work, making insulting comments or whining. A teacher might tell a child to “go sit in the beanbag chair and calm down” or simply “relax.”

The problem is, many students don’t know how to calm down. This is especially true for children who display chronic agitation or defiance.
When a child behaves inappropriately, I find that it’s almost always due to an underdeveloped skill. If we don’t explicitly teach the student this skill, their behavior is unlikely to change for the better.
All children will benefit from learning self-calming skills, but for some children, learning this skill is so essential to their success at school that it’s important that classroom teachers focus on it as well as specialists, such as counselors and special educators.

What’s the best way to teach self-calming skills to a student? Here are three simple steps to take:

1. Teach the student to identify emotions.
Students who exhibit anger in the classroom are often described as “going from 0-to-60 in a split second.” In reality, however, the student’s emotions probably grew more gradually from calm to frustrated to anger, but the teacher (and the child) didn’t notice the build-up.

Teaching a student to identify this escalation is essential if she’s to learn how to catch herself on the way up. A helpful tool to use is an emotional thermometer. When the child is calm, share the graphic with her, explaining how emotions often grow in intensity from calm to frustrated to angry. Give the child a copy of the thermometer and ask her to pay attention to where she is on it at different times of the day over the course of a few weeks, checking in with the child as needed to discuss what she is noticing.

Another way to teach a student to identify emotions is to do a “body check.” When you notice signs of frustration first beginning, label it for the child and explain how you know: “Your shoulders are hunched and your fists are clenched, so I can see you’re frustrated right now.” Over time, the child will learn to identify when she’s frustrated without your cues.

If you live in Illinois and need help dealing with behavior issues in your child, please contact Family Matters at 866-436-7842. We have resources on behavior issues and we can help you work with your child's school in developing a behavior plan.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

March 2010 Resources updated, February 2013

In the natural course of life, we humans can be expected to grow and change. We develop and mature over time–our brains, our bodies, the sense of who we are and who we want to be. Development is a beautiful thing, really, exciting and creative, and it makes parents, friends, and teachers look on in awe.
This resource page addresses one aspect of development that’s important not to ignore with children with or without disabilities—the development of sexuality. There’s so much to know and consider on this subject–what sexuality is, its meaning in adolescent and adult life, and the responsibilities that go along with exploring and experiencing one’s own sexuality.

Monday, March 18, 2013

by Bec Oakley, author of Snagglebox.com

A reluctance to make eye contact is one of the most recognized features
of autism, and yet it’s also one of the most commonly misunderstood.

What is
eye contact?

There’s so much more to eye contact than just looking at someone’s
eyes.

Besides being tools for basic survival, our faces are designed for
reciprocal communication - for both giving and receiving information so that we
can share in a mutually understood message with others. Eye contact helps us to
do that in a number of different ways, like monitoring the interest and reaction
of the other person when we speak and letting them know that we’re paying
attention when it’s our turn to listen.

Contrary to popular belief, a lack of eye contact isn’t actually a
requirement for the diagnosis of autism. What the DSM does say is that
eye-to-eye-gaze can be just one of the areas in which there’s an impairment in
the way nonverbal behaviours are used in social interaction, along with other
things like body language and facial expressions.

So it’s not just about whether eye contact is being made, but how it’s
being used - knowing when and how to initiate it, how long to maintain it, when
and how to disengage, understanding the social rules that govern all of these
and then using that knowledge to control social interactions. In other words, an
overly intense and unrelenting gaze is just as significant as no eye contact at
all, and being able to use eye contact doesn’t mean that a person isn’t
autistic.

That being said, many autistic people do find eye contact to be challenging
or uncomfortable, with some even describing it as excruciating.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Applying for Disability Benefits for Your Child
Caring for a special needs child can be a full time job—at home research, medical appointments, and finding trustworthy supportive care may cause parents to reach unexpected financial and emotional obstacles. If you or a loved one can no longer financially support a child with an illness or disability, it may be time to explore the Social Security Disability options available to you.Supplemental Security Income
The Social Security Administration (SSA) controls two separate disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI is an adult disability program in which basic eligibility is at least partially based on employment history. SSI, on the other hand, is based on financial need and is available to disabled individuals of all ages. If you are the parent or guardian of a special needs child, you will need to apply for benefits through the SSI program.

Below you will find tips to help you complete the application process and to increase your chance of receiving disability benefits for your child.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

"I want my son to be prepared to
enter the workforce when he leaves school. How can we we combine No Child Left
Behind with vocational goals?"

Parents need to start thinking
about the transition to adulthood when their children are toddlers. Schools are
not required to address this issue or develop a transition plan until the child
is 16. IDEA 2004 states that a transition plan may be developed earlier than age
16.

Although schools exist
primarily to
provide academic instruction, they must also address the transition needs of
children with disabilities. Look at these issues separately, starting with these
definitions, then we will move on to how you can use No Child Left
Behind.

Transition

Read the legal definition of
transition services in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA):

The
term `transition services' means a coordinated set of activities for a child
with a disability that--

(A) is designed to be a
results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic
and functional achievement of the child with a disability
to facilitate the
child's
movement from school to postschool activities, including post-secondary
education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported
employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living,
or community participation;

(B) is based on the individual child’s
needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences,
and interests, and(C) includes instruction,
related services, community experiences, the development of
employment and other postschooladult living objectives, and, when
appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational
evaluation. (20 U.S.C. Section 1401(34))(Note: underlined words were added to IDEA
2004)If the
school is not providing services that meet this definition of transition
services, they are not providing your son with transition services.

Monday, March 11, 2013

As we enter the second half of
the school year, many parents hear the clock ticking louder and louder as
graduation nears.

We hope
you have been working closely with your child’s IEP team through high school to
ensure that appropriate transition goals have been established and your child's
progress toward these goals has been measured and documented.
IDEA
2004 requires Transition Services to be “results-oriented” to “facilitate the
child’s movement from school to post school activities . . .” [1] The law requires that the IEP Transition Services be in place
by (before) the child’s 16th birthday.[2]

In this
article, we provide you with two checklists and some advice to help your child
make a successful transition from school to employment or further
education.

IDEA 2004 Transition
Checklist

IDEA
2004 describes the required components of the transition plan. During your
child’s high school years, it is essential that the IEP team adhere to these
requirements.

The student must
be invited to participate in IEP meetings to discuss his/her goals for life
after high school.

You may request
several IEP/Transition Planning meetings during the school year.

You may invite
representatives of local agencies to these IEP meetings to discuss transition
goals and services to support those goals.

To continue reading, click here...***If you would like help preparing for your child's IEP meeting, please contact an Information Specialist at Family Matters at 866-436-7842. We can also look at your transition plan and other records to help you ensure that the goals and plan are the best possible.***

Thursday, March 7, 2013

If you give an SPD kid a pancake, he'll probably ask you
for some syrup to go with it. When you give him the syrup, he might spill some
on the table and begin playing with it. When you see the mess he has made all
over the table, you'll realize that he needs some tactile input, so you'll pull
out your stash of dry rice and beans. You'll have to wash his hands so he
doesn't get everything all sticky. He will scream bloody murder when you wipe
his mouth and hands.

After covering your floor in beans and rice he might
break into your cabinets when you're not looking and pour an entire box of
cornstarch on the floor. While dancing in the cornstarch, he will raise up
clouds that will impair your vision.

This is when you might decide he needs to play in the
sandbox, so you'll have to take him to the park. At the park, he'll accidentally
sit in a puddle and will scream until you manage to locate some extra pants for
him to wear.

When you change his pants, he might want to run around
naked for a while, even though you say he can't. As you try to catch him, you
might notice other parents giving you nasty looks. Those nasty looks will be
repeated when your kiddo runs into some kids to get some deep pressure. It feels
good to him, so he doesn't understand why the kid he ran into is
crying.

Next, your SPD kid will decide that he wants to go on the
merry-go-round, but as soon as someone pushes it and it starts spinning, he'll
fling himself off and bloody his knees. Once you clean him up, he'll probably
head to the swings. Swinging for upwards of a half hour should calm him
down.

As it's nearing lunchtime, you will warn your SPD kid
that it's almost time to head home for lunch. You might give him warnings at 15,
10 and 5 minutes, but he will still probably act surprised when it's time to
leave. He may throw a tantrum and refuse to get in the car.

Bribing him with extra computer time might get him to
cooperate. Then again, it might not.

By this time, you're probably worn out, so you decide to
get lunch from a fast food joint. Once inside McDonald's your SPD kid might
freak out and cover his ears when the timer for the French fries goes off. As
you proceed to your table, he might accidentally bump into other tables because
of his poor body awareness.

Once at your booth, he will probably have to be reminded
to sit on his bottom a few dozen times. Instead, he will repeatedly stand on his
seat and jump. If you happened to order him the wrong number of chicken nuggets
or the wrong drink, you can bet all hell will break loose.

Because it's so loud and distracting at the restaurant,
he probably won't eat a whole lot, and most likely you will wonder why you
didn't just go through the drive thru.

When you finally get home, exhausted, you will plop him
in front of a Thomas the Train video so you can have a minute's rest.
When you hear him jumping on the couch, you rouse yourself to turn off the TV.
You realize it is almost time for therapy, so you start to get him ready to
leave.

Since your SPD kid didn't eat much lunch, he will declare
that he is hungry. You offer him every snack you can think of: applesauce
through a straw, pretzels, apples and popcorn for crunching, but he insists on a
pancake--the only thing your kid has willingly and happily eaten all week
long.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

If you're like most special needs parents, you have reams of paperwork to keep organized: evaluation reports, IEPs, pregress reports and report cards, etc. If you're looking for a way to keep it all organized, you have come to the right place.

We have two of these filers to give away. They each have separate folders in which to keep the variety of records you have. Included in the filers is some information on the laws about records.

Take a minute and leave a comment here to enter the give away!

GIVEAWAY!!!!

There are a few different ways to enter
the contest. You are able to get up to four entries per
person!

~~One entry for leaving a comment here telling us why
you would like a set of In-Sync Activity Cards

by Bec Oakley

Reading a story to someone who’s sick in bed,
saying “as you wish” or playing rhyming games that annoy your boss... there are
many more ways to show love than just those three little words.

2. Optimism can get you through the fire
swamp

Just because you haven’t tackled a problem
before doesn’t mean there’s no solution, even for POUS’s (Problems of Unusual
Size).

3. Having a target will help you stay
focused

You don’t have the energy or resources to
tackle every challenge that’s in front of you. Find your six-fingered man -
prioritize your goals, work out which of those you can tackle and then pursue
them with everything you’ve got.

4. You rush a miracle man, you get
rotten miracles

Be patient. Change and growth takes time, and
there are no corners to be cut here. Every kid is working to their own schedule
and developing at their own rate.

Friday, March 1, 2013

BuildingSensory Friendly Classroomsby Rebecca Moyes has been on my reading list for quite some time now. As a
former teacher and as a mom of two kids with Sensory Processing Disorder, I
knew this book would provide valuable insight for me. I was interested in
reading advice from a special
education teacher who so clearly understands SPD. Moyes has taught over
9 years and is an autism consultant, but she also happens to be the mother of a
child with Asperger Syndrome.

I was sure this unique combination of experience
would lead to insightful strategies for helping kids in the classroom. I was
not disappointed. Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms is a book for parents
and teachers alike.

Moyes dedicates the first two chapters to explaining in detail what Sensory
Processing Disorder is, who it affects and what it might look like in different
students. She demonstrates why it is important for all teachers to be aware of
this disorder and why they should be adept at building classrooms in which kids
with SPD can be successful.

This book should be required reading for all teachers, not just those who
specifically work with special needs kids, because as
Moyes explains research states that 5-10% of students are affected by SPD. Not
only that, but the book outlines very important advice on data collection that
every teacher should follow when presented with challenging behavior from
students. Her ideas on tracking students and behavior issues can be
extrapolated onto just about every possible challenge. I love that she
emphasizes over and over again that teachers should collect concrete data to
prove whether their interventions are helping a child
and to determine what might trigger undesirable behavior.

In subsequent chapters, Moyes gives strategies to address SPD symptoms and describes how to create
a sensory room within a class. Her chapters on self-stimulatory and
self-abusive behavior and teaching stress management
were eye-opening and gave me several wonderful ideas to try with my own son.

While this book’s intended audience seems to be teachers, it is definitely
beneficial for parents as well. The advice Moyes offers teachers is important
for parents to know about. Not only can parents implement many of her sensory
strategies or data collection tips at home, but they can
also share this same advice with their child’s teacher.

Also, the chapters on IEP and 504 Language and behavioral support plans for
children with SPD are must-read material for any parent of a school-aged child
with SPD who is navigating the world of special education.

Over the years, I have read many books about Sensory Processing Disorder,
but this book, Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms, has by far offered
the most complete information for kids and school. Teachers
and parents can both benefit greatly from reading this book. More
importantly, SPD kids everywhere will have a better chance at succeeding in
school if the adults in their lives apply these principles and creative
solutions in the class and at home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you would like more information on Sensory Issues and the classroom or how to address sensory issues in an IEP or 504 Plan, please contact Family Matters at 866-436-7842. We can help ensure that your child's sensory needs are being addressed at school!